In Darkness There Lies
by MLPOCDarkMoon
Summary: One Sequel storyline to When Stars Align Masquerade Night, Son of Princess Luna, falls in love with the same villian that imprisoned his mother. The Insane Mare had nothing but her own thoughts but what happens when this young stallion sneaks his way into her heart.
1. Chapter 1

Masquerade Night walked around the castle alone. His short dark galaxy hair flowed like his mother's. He was born an alicorn much to Princess Luna's surprise. He was a young colt but was as mischievous as young Luna.

Masquerade snuck into the throne room where his mothers and father talked. The guards did not notice the black foal that blended into the darkness. "What do we do about her Sister. Yes she is a Chaos juvenile but..." Luna trailed off as Celestia pat her sister. "Maybe Discord can teach her since they have a history and she trusts him" Astin says pushing his tilting crown back into place. Celestia hums "She is strong and a good potential ally if she decides to be on our side..." Celestia thinks out loud.

Astin takes notice to the bulge in the curtain and tiptoes towards it. Masquerade tenses as he senses his father's magical energy. "Runnnnn!!!" He yells attempting to run away from his father. Astin scoops up the foal laughing as he tickles the colt. Masquerade bursts out in adorable laughter. Luna watches with a smile "That will be you soon dear sister" Luna says winking as Celestia smiles blushes a bit.

Masquerade ran behind his mother to escape his father's attack. "Mommy daddy's turned into the tickle monster" Masquerade yells in her flowing mane. Luna laughs "Then the tickle fun shall be doubled" She says grabbing her colt and tickling him with her magic. Masquerade gasps with laughter as he got teamed by his parents.

"It is time for bed my night prince" Luna says kissing his forehead and tucking him in. "Mommy, Who were you talking about in there?" he questions in a soft childlike voice filled with curiosity. Luna shakes her head "No one important my young moon" She yawns as the sun rises. She crawls into her bed and falls into a wonderful slumber.

Masquerade flaps his wings and floats out of his bed. He falls on the ground and shakes himself off. He sneaks past his mother and guards into the Everfree Forest. He was brave and didn't fear anything in the forest.

"What are you doing here, kid?" A feminine voice calls out to him. He looks up to see a weird pony "You have a lion paw like uncle Discord" He says pointing at it. She smirks "So you know discord" She says slithering towards him. "Yea and my Mommy is Princess Luna and my Mama is Princess Celestia" He says innocently.

The weird creature smiles warmly at the innocent foal. "My name's Devil's Gambit. What's yours" She says cuddling the foal like a stuffed bear. "My name's Masquerade Night" He chirps happily. Gambit smiled at the foal and made a cotton candy cloud appear with the snap of her claw. Masquerade claps his front hooves happily and starts eating it before it starts raining chocolate milkin on him making the young prince squeal happily.

Luna woke up after her nap. The sun was in the sky shining brightly through her window. She walks over to check on Masquerade and screams. Celestia and the Guards rush in to find Luna holding Masquerade's empty blanket. " ** _FIND HIM! FIND MY SON!!!_** " She screamed in her Canterlot voice.

Masquerade showed off his weak flying skills as Gambit bounced through the clouds watching carefully over him. The young alicorn was estatic to be this high in the air feeling the wind in his mane. Gambit tackled the foal making them land on a bed of peppermint trees and cotton candy. They laughed as she held him close. "I haven't had this much fun in centuries" She sighed. "How old are you Gambit" He questions.

Gambit laughs "It's rude to ask a lady her age but whatever I'm 2,242" She says nonchalantly. "Wow I'm only 5" He says as he crawls on her chest. "You're just a baby to me and I'm forever gonna be a teenager" She giggles. He yawns softly rubbing his adorable golden eyes. Gambit rocks the colt as he drifts off into a blissful slumber.

Guard surround the pair "Release the young prince" One announces in a loud voice. Masquerade shuffles uncomfortably in his sleep as she growls. Dark smoke surrounds the young draconequus as her blue eyes narrowed into slits. "Get. Out." She snarls in a dark deep voice.

Luna flies over to the draconequus with a murderous look in her eyes. Her body became darker and darker as she turned into Nightmare Moon. Right as she was about to meet her target Celestia step in between.

Luna glared "Move. Tia." She gritted out. Masquerade opens his golden eyes and looks at Gambit. He rubs her face with his hoof "Gamby, I'm sleepy" He says gaining everyone's attention. "Ok little moon dude" She says wrapping her body around him like a blanket.

Luna turns back to normal and slowly flies over to the draconequus. " ** _I demand my son_** " She says firmly in her royal canterlot voice holding out her hoof. Gambit thought about it, This was the most fun she had in centuries but if she took him from his mother... A mischievous smile grew on her face.

Gambit reluctantly relinquishes him from her hold into the care of the blue alicorn. She dissipates into a water-like black liquid leaving Luna with the image of her troublesome smile on her face

Masquerade wakes in his bed. He whines softly making Luna grab him with her magic. "Where's Gamby" He asks in a soft voice. Luna tensed "Don't worry about her." She spat putting him in his bed and tucking him in. She would protect her son even if that meant sheltering him from what she thought was dangerous.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the years, young Masquerade grew up into a handsome young stallion indeed and was joined by a little sister named Morning Eos. He never saw Gambit again after his trip. And slowly she faded into a blurry memory. His mother did not support him leaving the castle so she tightened security. She also hired 2 foalsitters which were Pinkie Pie and Princess Twilight Sparkle.

"Twilight, I'm almost 13 can I go outside Pleaseeee..." He cries as Twilight tried to force him to study. "Outside? Why would you want to go outside?" She asks. "Because I'm sick of seeing the same old castle walls Twilight" He groans. She giggles at him "Ask your mother, I'm not even allowed to take you outside" She says simply.

Masquerade slowly walked into his mother's chambers. He pounces on her trying to wake her. "Mommm! Moooooommm!" He yells but to no avail. He grumbled walking out of the room and sneaking into Princess Celestia's chambers.

"Mama Celestia!" He called out waiting for a reply. He tilts his head as he hears nothing. He walks over to the crib to see tiny Morning Eos fast asleep but Celestia was nowhere to be found.

"Mama Celesti-" He was interrupted by a white hoof covering his mouth. "I'm here" She says nuzzling the young stallion. He pouts a bit "Why can't I go outside anywhere besides your school which is barely a quick teleportation spell away: He grumbles. "Your mommy Luna came up with that one but I don't know exactly why she did. But it happened after you ran away to the Everfree when you were a baby" Celestia says to him.

He nods a bit "Okay that's reasonable for a baby but I'm almost 13, I know more than I did before" He huffed. Celestia smiles a bit "I'll talk to her but until then your father has no duties right now. Can you go mess with him for me" She asks with a innocent voice. Masquerade giggles and sneaks off to his father's chambers.

He sees his human father in bed sleeping comfortably. He pulls out a marker and proceeds to draw small doodles with his blue tinted magic.

Astin groaned waking up. His light golden eyes with light blue flecks seemed to fill the dark room with life. He stumbling into the bathroom feeling for the light. He turns it on and looks up seeing his face in the mirror. "MASQUERADE!!!" He yells. The giggling young stallion ran through the halls before, bumping into his mother, Luna. "Mother, You're finally awake." He says giggling. "Seems like you had your fun" She say nodding towards the King's chambers where Astin's scream came from. He smiles and nods before remembering what he wanted his mother for.

"I wanna talk mom seriously" He says in a serious tone. Luna nods and walks into her room past the guards followed by Masquerade.

"What is it my little moon" Luna says preening him gently. Masquerade blushes and looks at her "I wanna go outside and explore, find friends, and ya know..." He says trailing off. "I know what?" Luna says nipping at the sensitive feathers. Masquerade's face became a bright red "find love like you and dad..." He mumbles. Luna's eyes widened "I didn't know you felt that way-" The door slammed open and in ran a guard with a letter with Twilight's royal emblem imprinted on it.

"Your majesty, There has been an attack in the Everfree" He says bowing. Luna spread her galaxy colored wings and flew out the window unknowingly followed by Masquerade.

Gambit hummed as she bounced the ponies around in a beach ball. Their screams blocked by the plastic. "Devil's Gambit, Let those ponies go, now!!!" Luna yells from the trees. "Blah! Blah!" She says bouncing the beach ball through the trees.

Masquerade didn't know what happened after that, the world just suddenly grew dark and simply seemed to fade out of existence.

Masquerade woke up in a soft bed. "Where am I?" He says holding his aching head. He yelps when he notices the bed is made out of cotton candy and he's in the air. "You grew up" A young filly's voice says from all around him "Do you remember me?"

The voice was all too familiar yet he couldn't pinpoint a face. "A little" He says truthfully. A snake like tail slithered around his neck followed by hooves hugging him. "I was so bored without you" She whimpers in an innocent voice. He blushed meeting her adorable bluish purple eyes "Umm I apologize" He mumbles respectfully his heart starting to beat faster.

She smiles feeling an unfamiliar warmth fill her chest as her cheeks heat up. "Are you hungry?" She asks poofing up a plate of Hayburgers and Apple fritters. He smiles and nods eating with Gambit. 'I've never had such commoner food' he thought to himself "So you're Devil's Gambit" He says attempting to start a conversation she nods "And your Masquerade Night, Son of Princess Luna" She says in a confident tone.

Masquerade nods "When can I go home" He asks making her tense. "Never..." She growls in a low cold voice. He flinched a bit as a cold chill ran down his spine "Umm but what about my p-parents?" He asks in a fearful voice. She looks at him and her eyes soften.

She nuzzles herself into his neck "I'm sorry that was a bad joke..." She says for the first time in her life. He pats her with his hoof "I'm just worried because my mother is protective and I have a baby sister who would miss me" He says smiling laying back on the bed now made of flowers. She flopped on the bed sighing "I have an older brother of sorts not biologically but we were created by the same person." She says with a small smile. Masquerade giggles as she tickles him under his nose with the furry tip of her tail.

Masquerade sneezes making her laugh a bit. They looked the same age even if Tainted was in her 2000s. "I want to ask you something important" She says pulling him close. Masquerade nods and she continues "I want some time with you but I'm bound to the Everfree Forest by my stupid brother so i guess we could hang out if you teleport here?" She said thinking.

Masquerade smiles "Yea that sounds amazing- I mean, yea cool" He says in a cool voice flipping his hair making her laugh. "You're so naive" She said lowly licking his ear. The prince shivered feeling warmth pool near his muzzle.

"I-I should g-go" he said hurriedly charging his horn before teleporting away. Gambit sighed giggling "He stutters exactly like his mother"

The prince quickly wiggled his way back into the castle garden looking around for anyone. When the coast was clear the young prince snuck back into the castle only to be stopped by a dark blue hoof. "Where were you" His mother asked raising an eyebrow. Masquerade gave her a charming smile "Nowhere mother" he chirped.

Luna raised her eyebrow higher as he ran off to his room happily. Masquerade jumped on his bed and sighed "My first friend" He whispered holding his hoof to his face. Suddenly a poof sounded in the room and Discord appeared in front of him.

"Uncle Dis-" He was interrupted when the draconequus put a talon to his lips. "I know about it. I support you seeing her in fact, She needs it. She's been lonely for quite some time..." He whispered. Masquerade nodded slowly.

Discord smiled "Your dad was right kid, You're gonna do something extraordinary"


	3. Chapter 3

Masquerade woke up early that night sneaking into the dining room. His Aunt Twilight was visiting with her wife, Pinkie Pie. Luna smiled at her son as he walked in and sat next to Blueblood giving him a hoof-bump.

Twilight walked in with her hair in a messy bun and pulled back bangs which showed her violet eyes. Pinkie followed her making everyone gasp at her enlarged stomach. Twilight chuckled a bit "I had a magical incident..." She said with a sheepish smile.

Celestia nodded with a warm smile "Congratulations" She said. Twilight smiled "The doctor is keeping a close eye on its development since it came from a magic spell" She said nuzzling Pinkie. The pink mare let out a cat-like purr thumping her hind hoof and wagging her tail like a dog.

Luna and Celestia giggled at the reaction. Morning whined impatiently at her mother waving her hooves in the air. Celestia grabbed the grumbling foal in her magic before smiling towards the couple "Parenthood should be an incredible new experience, my faithful student. I wish you luck" She chirps happily as her own foal fed hungrily from her teat.

"She's gorgeous, Princess..." Twilight gasped at the tiny white foal that now was growing a golden glow to her fur. The foal coughed and whined only to be cuddled by the sun princess. Luna scoffed "You're making her too soft, Sister. You coddle the foal too much." She explained. Celestia nuzzled her tiny cheek "She's forever gonna be my foal but I want to make the most of it while she's small" She purred making the foal squeal in happiness.

Twilight smiled "My mother said the same thing to me when I told her about Pinkie" She sighed a bit rubbing her wife's stomach lovingly with her hoof. Pinkie was oddly quiet throughout the dinner as if she wasn't there mentally. "Pinkie?" Twilight called waving a hoof in front of her face.

The pink mare snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the alicorns "I'm sorry, I was just wondering what party, I should throw..." She trailed off thinking again. "I think you've rubbed off on her, Twilight Sparkle" Luna chuckled. Twilight rolled her eyes and giggled. "From my calculations, The baby has a high chance of being a female earth pony" Twilight said starting to explain her calculations.

Masquerade and Blueblood snuck off to his room to play video games. "I swear, I don't understand how you can stand all the estrogen in that room" Blueblood gasped jumping onto his bed holding the game controller in his violet magical aura.

Masquerade shrugged "I guess, i get it from mom. She was the best ambassador at one point and she had to sit in a room filled with sexist kings" He explained with a slight shudder. Blueblood chuckled as he successfully knocks Masquerade off the platform in Super Smash Ponies.

"Hey Bluey! That's cheating, I was talking!" He cried as his character respawned blinking. "Less talking more smashing then, Besides you always pick the same character in this game and it just happens to be your mother." He said in an arrogant tone.

Masquerade scoffed "Pu-lease! I am the best pony to play her besides herself" He replied sticking his tongue out. "We'll see about that" Blueblood chuckled.

"Her smash is amazing too. I mean look she turns into Nightmare Moon and she's over powered!!!" Masquerade yelled. Blueblood rolled his eyes laughing


	4. Chapter 4

Masquerade snuck off again early that morning into the Everfree. "Gambit!" He called out. The forest was quiet despite the occasional chirps of birds or rustling of leaves.

"You came back?" A voice said in a confused tone. Masquerade scoffed "You expected me not to?" He stated in a more confused tone. Gambit swung hanging upside-down from the tree in front of him "Not really...I mean I can't make you" She explained. Masquerade rolled his eyes "I'm not one to go back on my promises or judge a person for past mistakes"

Gambit smiled "I think that is a very good character trait to have" She said simply. Masquerade shrugged "I don't know... Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to act like everyone wants me to act and not how I want to" He explained.

Gambit snapped a claw and suddenly they were in a therapy room. She lowered her glasses peeking slightly over the rim "Now tell me about your personal issues" She requested nibbling on the end of her pen.

Masquerade sucked in a breath "I feel like I'm too trusting" He whispered. Gambit tensed freezing up completely as a memory flashed through her.

(Flashback)

The young draconequus panted as she wanted back to her lover. Red coated her matting her fur but she had a pleasured look on her face.

"Creator" She purred holding on to his arm. The creature smiled running his hand through her hair "Ah! My glorious pet" he sighed wrapping her soft mane around his hand.

The draconequus looked up into his dark sadistic eyes "What have a told you about coming to my chambers with your mane up" He scolded. She gasped "I'm so sorry, I disobeyed your orders" She whimpered.

The creator smiled "It's ok... I forgive you my child. Now come join me in the bath" He called out to her. She cautiously stepped into the bath taking the band from her mane.

"My brother was a fool for giving you and your mother up" He growled shoving her underwater. The draconequus struggled against his brute strength. "Don't worry darling... I'm here for you" He purred in sadistic voice-

(End of Flashback)

Masquerade waved a hoof in front of her face making Gambit snap out of her memories "You ok?" He asked "You were saying the word creator over and over..."

Gambit turned away "It's nothing...Just a stupid memory that should have been discarded a long time ago" She said hinting that she didn't want to talk anymore. "My momma Celestia said that if you talk about your problems, It makes it easier to face them yourself." He advised.

"No!" Gambit growled covering her ears. Masquerade sighed "Don't you trust me. Just tell me so I can help make it better- QUIET YOU INSOLENT FOAL!!!" Gambit roared shoving her claw into his mouth.

"You're hwurt" He said

"Shut up..." Gambit replied "I don't need anypony's help"

"Jwust let mwe hwelp you" He said

Gambit snarled snapping her claw and Masquerade was back in the familiar walls of the castle.

The colt groaned "Seriously!" He yelled. Luna walked in "Aren't you supposed to be teleporting to school" She questioned. Masquerade jumped up "Oh buck! I forgot" He yelped running out of his room.

"Language!" Luna yelled after him laughing softly.


	5. Chapter 5

Masquerade looked out the stained glass windows of the classroom. The teacher droned on and on about things he already studied and mastered with Twilight. But his thoughts lingered on Gambit.

'What happened in her past to make her like this. I mean villains with dark pasts are almost a cliche movie trope but it's hard to explain-" His thoughts were interupted by a loud slam echoing off his desk. "Prince Masquerade, I request that you pay attention in my class..." The teacher growled giving him a glare "Now as I was saying, The Grand Galloping Gala is 3 days away and everyone in this class gets a ticket"

The fillies squealed almost bouncing out of their seats while the colt smirked plotting which fillies they were gonna ask out. Masquerade let out a shaky breath as many fillies filed over to his desk to ask him.

"Masquerade! Can you go to the-" A filly started

"I was here first back up whorse" Another growled

"Both of ya'll are obviously blind, He totally digs me" A slight southern accent yelled

The fillies growled pouncing on each other as the colt walked out of the room.

"Masquerade is so ungrateful, If I was in the royal family I'd would be grateful for all the things I get" A voice whispered

'But you're not in the royal family so shut the buck up" He growled mentally as he walked past. He walked out of the school doors ignoring the yells for him to return to class. He bit back angry snarls as he walked farther away from school grounds feeling the hot sun on his black coat.

He opened his wings taking off in the direction of Ponyville. 'I need to see Uncle Discord about this...' He thought as he saw the Everfree on the horizon.

A half an hour later, he touched down in front of Fluttershy's cottage and gently nudged the door with his hoof "Is anyone home?" He called out. A soft plushy paw laid on his shoulder making him jump as a shiver ran through him. He turned to see Discord and Fluttershy with a picnic basket.

"Fluttershy...Allow us to have a moment alone" He requested. The butter cream mare nodded hesitantly as she walked into the cottage with the basket. "Lemme guess... She shut you out, too" He stated floating in mid-air. Masquerade blushed a bit "I tried to get her to open up but she teleported me away..." He muttered in defeat.

Discord sighed "She never was good at opening up. Mostly because she didn't know where to start. Her life has been hell..." He whispered. Masquerade frowned "Will she be at the gala?" He asked thinking back to his horrid school day. Discord narrowed his eyes in thought "Now that you think about it... That would be a splendid idea." He exclaimed "The best idea I've ever come up with"

Masquerade raised a hoof in opposition "But I was the one who- Shhhhhh! Let me enjoy the stoplight!" Discord said quickly interrupting the young alicorn. Masquerade rolled his eyes "I guess... I'll see her at the gala" He said spreading his wings to take his leave.

"Wait!" Discord called out to him.

Masquerade froze mid air looking at the draconequus. "Just...Be care and don't rush anything. Be patient with her. She's suffering..." He whispered before disappearing with the snap of his talon.

Masquerade thought over his words for a moment. 'I should ask Mama Celestia for advice' He thought to himself as he flew back to Canterlot.


End file.
